New York State Monument - Gettysburg, PA - Freestanding Columns on Waymarking.com

1 of 19 state & national monuments. Dedicated to officers & soldiers of NY who fell during Gettysburg Battle. Located in National Cemetery NE of Soldiers' National Monument. This is listed as structure number MN289.

The New York State Monument is a contributing feature to the Gettysburg National Military Park Historic District which is nationally significant under NR Criteria A, B, C & D. Areas of Significance: Military, Politics/Government, Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Archeology-Historic. Period of Significance: 1863-1938. The original National Register Nomination was approved by the Keeper March 19, 1975. An update to this nomination was approved by the Keeper on January 23, 2004.

From the nomination form:
Short Physical Description: Mn w/ statue. Mn base 27'8", stepped. 2 part shaft, 1st: sq w/ classical order motiffs, bronze tablets. 2nd: full order corinthian column w/ bronze alto-relievo, corps symbols, badges, sheilds. Topped by bronze NY statue. All 93'H.

Long Physical Description: This almost ninety-five-feet-high monument was designed as a classical triumphant column modeled after Trajan's Column in Rome. The granite pedestal, shaft, and capital are mounted on an elevated base. The capital is surmounted by a sixteen-foot-tall bronze classical allegorical female figure. This figure, representing the state of New York, weeps as she places a wreath on the graves of fallen soldiers. Lower down on the shaft, a cast bronze eagle, mounted on the Seal of New York State, stands in front of a relief intended to represent the trophies of war. The base of the shaft is ornamented with a bronze trophy relief encircling the column. It is divided into four scenic bronze panels that depict the death of General John F. Reynolds, the wounding of Generals Winfield Scott Hancock and Daniel E. Sickles, and the Council of War called by General Henry W. Slocum. Vertical panels that detail the accoutrements of war separate these four panels. The square pedestal contains two Doric pilasters on each side. On the west, the pilasters frame a bronze Roll of Honor with a listing of New York's dead officers. These pilasters support an architrave decorated with eleven bronze symbols of the New York State Corps that fought at Gettysburg. Above these symbols, an arched pediment frames the words "New York." The female figure atop the monument, the bronze panels encircling the column, and the bronze trophy relief were designed and sculptured by Caspar Buberl.

Gorgeous monument looms high over this National cemetery. When you enter the cemetery from the Baltimore Pike side, as soon as you enter you can see it. At the top of this Fox Island granite column stands an allegorical female figure representing the state of New York. She holds a staff in her proper left hand and a wreath in her proper right hand. The foot of the column is adorned with a bronze New York state seal and a bronze relief depicting New York generals at Gettysburg. Below the column is a block made of Hallowell granite adorned with bronze inscription plaques.

The various inscriptions read: (On front of base:) NEW YORK (On bronze plaque on front of base:) TO THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS/OF THE/STATE OF NEW YORK/WHO FELL IN THE/BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG JULY 1,2,3, 1863/MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE BURIED./THIS MONUMENT IS/ERECTED BY A GRATEFUL COMMONWEALTH (listing of casualties in the New York command) (On bronze plaque on back of base: listing of New York officers killed at Gettysburg) unsigned

The sculptures at the top is approximately 13 feet and the base and shaft which holds the statue is approximately 27 feet 8 inches. The statue is composed of Fox Island granite and Hallowell, Maine granite for the base and the statue up top is made of bronze. The sculptor was Caspar Buberii. The fabricator was the Hallowell Granite Company and the founder was the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company. The statue was dedicated on July 2, 1893, thirty years to the day after the Battle at Gettysburg.